Aerosol valves

ABSTRACT

An improved aerosol valve has a removable spray head and stem which telescopes into a valve member and has a groove which extends from the bottom of the stem into communication with an annular flow channel between the valve and stem. The groove results in a thin wall portion through which extends a metering aperture located a substantial distance above the bottom of the stem. The flow channel and groove allow unrestricted flow to the metering aperture.

United States Patent lnventors Derek R. Green Bedford;

Philip H. Puddington, Amherst, both of, NH.

July 18, 1969 June 29, 1971 Scovill Manufacturing Company Waterbury, Conn.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee AEROSOL VALVES 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

ILLS. CIL. ZZZ/402.24 int. Cl 565d 83/01) Field of Search ..222/402.24;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1957 Bretz, Jr.

2,867,356 1/1959 239/573 X 2,900,114 8/1959 ZZZ/402.24 2,913,154 11/1959 ZZZ/402.24 X 3,074,601 1/1963 239/573 X 3,158,297 11/1964 Ferry,.1r.,et a1 222/402.24X 3,158,298 11/1964 Briechle ZZZ/402.24 X 3,206,082 9/1965 Green ZZZ/402.24 X 3,235,140 2/1966 Green ZZZ/402.24

Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Thomas C. Culp, Jr. Attorney-Dallett l-loopes ABSTRACT: An improved aerosol valve has a removable spray head and stem which telescopes into a valve member and has a groove which extends from the bottom of the stem into communication with an annular flow channel between the valve and stem. The groove results in a thin wall portion through which extends a metering aperture located a substantial distance above the bottom of the stem. The flow channel and groove allow unrestricted flow to the metering aperture.

AEROSOL VALVES This invention relates to an aerosol valve of the kind which is especially useful in the dispensing of viscous fluids such as paints and varnishes, having a spray head and hollow valve stem which are easily removable and replaceable for cleaning purposes. An early example of such a valve is shown in the U.S. Pat. to Green, No. 2,777,735, wherein the metering is controlled by a portion of a slot in the stem which is exposed above the interfitting telescoped end.

Such prior valves are thus dependent for their metering function on the fit between two mating parts and because of possible tolerance buildups and other factors, the metering action often varies from the optimum. In the prior paint valves, the portion of the slot which is covered by the valve member serves primarily as a well in which solid material may collect to minimize stoppage of the metering portion of the slot.

According to my invention, the metering function is provided solely by an orifice which leads through a thin wall portion from a vertical groove of ample dimensions so that the flow is unrestricted except by the metering aperture. That portion of the groove below the aperture serves as a well for collection of solid matter just as effectively as the slots in prior valves. u

A further advantage provided by my invention is that a large quantity of spray heads and valve stems may be manufactured at one time, in the same mold, and the metering orifice can be punched according to the desiredv size for any particular order, at the time of assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein themetering orifice can be pierced easily and with clean edges. To this end, the wall containing the aperture is comparatively thin and opens at either end through a flat surface. For this purpose, the interior passage of the stem is preferably made square and such a shape has the further advantage of providing increased strength to the stern which is of importance especially in tilt action valves.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter more fully ap pear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which the invention may assume in practice. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of an aerosol valve made according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section with the valve open to indicate the flow path;

FIG. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the bottom portion of the valve stem.

The improved valve is shown mounted in the housing 5 having a flange 6. The housing is held in a pedestal portion 7 of a metal can top which has indentations 8 engaging under the flange 6. Fluid enters the housing 5 through a dip tube 9 and a nipple It). The metal pedestal portion 8 has a central hole 11 in the top wall and a sealing gasket 12 has a hole 13 which registers with the hole 11. The housing 5 and gasket 12 are preferably constructed and arranged as shown in the U.S. Fat. to Briechle No.- 3,158,298 to permit fast filling of the container.

A cup-shaped valve member 14 is located beneath the gasket and has a cylindrical socket I5 and an upper rim portion 116 spaced radially outwardly of the socket 15. The rim portion 16 has a narrow annular sealing edge 17 normally held against the gasket 12 by a spring 18 bearing against a shoulder 19 on the valve member 14.

A removable spray head has an operating button 20 for actuating the valve and the button may be fitted with an orifice insert 21. In FIG. 2, the valve is shown opened by a vertical movement but it could also be opened by a tilt action if a lateral force is applied against the button 20. The spray head has a depending hollow stem 22 with a cylindrical outer surface which fits snugly in the cylindrical socket 15. It is intended that the fit be tight enough so as to maintain the valve fixed on the stem but not so tight as to prevent removal and reinsertion of the valve stem. The bottom of the stern has a bevelled outer corner 23 to assist in leading it into the socket 115, and when inserted, the stem will come to rest against the bottom wall 24. A plug 25 extends upwardly from the wall 24 and such plug fits snugly inside the stem passage 26. Because the stem bottoms in the socket with the plug 25 filling the stern passage, flow is prevented around the bottom of the stem into the stem passage 26. Since the upper portion of the annular rim 16 is spaced from the stem, there is provided an annular flow channel 27 which receives fluid from the interior of housing 5 when the valve is open as seen in FIG. 2.

The stem has a comparatively wide external groove 28 which extends vertically from the bottom of the stem upwardly into unrestricted communication with the annular channel 27 and preferably the groove terminates in an upper edge 29 in the vicinity of the lower surface of the gasket 12, the passage 26 has a cross-sectional shape which provides a flat surface 30 opposite the groove 28 and preferably the passage 26 is rectangular in cross section as seen in FIG. 3. This cross section is easy to mold and not only provides the desired flat surface opposite the groove 28, but also results in a somewhat stiffer and stronger stem than would be the case if the passage 26 were cylindrical. A metering aperture 31 is preferably pierced through the relatively thin wall portion 32, such aperture being sized in accordance with the spray characteristics desired. The depth and width of the groove 28 are ample to allow unrestricted flow from the channel 27 directly to the metering aperture 31. This aperture is located a substantial distanceabove the bottom end of the stem so as to provide a reservoir or well into which solid matter may drop away from the entering end of the aperture 31, and, of course, that portion of the passage 26 located below the metering aperture can serve to collect any solid material which may tend to lodge on the inner side of the metering aperture. 'A punch, in piercing the aperture 31, enters and leaves the thin wall 32 perpendicularly through flat surfaces. There is thus obtained an aperture with clean cut edges. Preferably as shown, the groove 28 extends upwardly to the vicinity of the bottom surface of the gasket 12 and the metering aperture 31 is located adjacent the upper end of the groove. The sidewalls 33 and 34 of the groove 28 are not as deep as the maximum depth of the groove at the center but, nevertheless, insure always against the gasket 12 working its way into the groove and thus prevent the possibility of blocking the metering aperture.

It will thus be seen as a result of my invention that an improved valve of the type commonly used for paints, has been provided which can be cheaply manufactured and which will have other advantages over paint valves now in use. Flow does not depend on the interfitting of two parts since it is not controlled in any way by a slot or groove. At the same time, the metering aperture is located well above the bottom of the stern which avoids clogging tendencies of any passages located at the bottom. While, of course, the construction would work as well if the metering aperture were molded, a further advantage comes from the fact that it is not necessary to provide separate molds for different metering specifications, it being sufficient only to select a punch of the proper size to pierce through the tin wall between the external groove and the interior passage of the stem.

Iclaim:

ll. An aerosol valve of the type having a sealing gasket with a central aperture, a cup-shaped valve member beneath the gasket having a cylindrical stem-receiving socket and an upper rim portion spaced radially outwardly of said cylindrical socket the upper portion of which provides an annular sealing edge, a spring normally urging said valve member upwardly to hold said rim in sealing engagement with said gasket, a removable spray head having a depending hollow stem which is dimensioned to fit snugly inside said cylindrical socket with an annular channel between said rim portion and stem, characterized by a. an exterior vertical groove extending from the bottom of said stem upwardly into unrestricted communication with said channel,

. a comparatively thin flat stem wall portion between said groove and the interior surface of said stem, the wall portion being flat on both sides, and

. a metering aperture extending perpendicularly through said thin flat wall portion located a substantial distance above the bottom end of said groove, the cross-sectional area of said annular channel and of said groove being sufsection ofthe stem passage is square. 

1. An aerosol valve of the type having a sealing gasket with a central aperture, a cup-shaped valve member beneath the gasket having a cylindrical stem-receiving socket and an upper rim portion spaced radially outwardly of said cylindrical socket the upper portion of which provides an annular sealing edge, a spring normally urging said valve member upwardly to hold said rim in sealing engagement with said gasket, a removable spray head having a depending hollow stem which is dimensioned to fit snugly inside said cylindrical socket with an annular channel between said rim portion and stem, characterized by a. an exterior vertical groove extending from the bottom of said stem upwardly into unrestricted communication with said channel, b. a comparatively thin flat stem wall portion between said groove and the interior surface of said stem, the wall portion being flat on both sides, and c. a metering aperture extending perpendicularly through said thin flat wall portion located a substantial distance above the bottom end of said groove, the cross-sectional area of said annular channel and of said groove being sufficiently large to allow unrestricted flow when the valve is opened by unseating said sealing edge from said gasket, to said metering aperture, said stem being seated in the bottom of said socket to prevent flow from said groove into the stem passage other than through said metering aperture.
 2. An aerosol valve according to claim 1 wherein the cross section of the stem passage is square. 